Lightweight face shield with microphone and speaker

ABSTRACT

A light weight face shield is disclosed that attaches to a user&#39;s head and extends below a user&#39;s face, covering the user&#39;s mouth and nose. The shield includes a transparent, thin, plastic panel that is concave in shape and attaches to a head band via a support member. On the concave surface adjacent the user&#39;s mount is a small microphone and power supply adapted to receive audio signals from the user&#39;s voice. On the outside of the shield is a speaker that receives a signal and emits the user&#39;s voice outside the shield so that it can be easily heard and understood by a listener. In a preferred embodiment, the power supply is rechargeable battery and the microphone and speaker are separable to easily remove the electronics from the shield.

BACKGROUND

Recent developments around the world have brought to light the need forprotective face coverings in the service industry. Face coverings helpto prevent the spread of viruses and have become mandatory in manyplaces around the world where people gather. The efficacy of these facecoverings varies from type to type and material to material, with clothcoverings enjoying the benefit of comfort but are more transmissive thansolid shield-type face coverings. On the other hand, solid face shieldsare problematic because they transmit less sound and make communicationmore difficult. In the service industry, the inability to establishsimple and effective communication may lead to personnel opting forcloth coverings even though these coverings may be less safe. What isneeded in the industry is a light weight, comfortable, cost effectivesolid face shield that can improve communication between the wearer anda listener. The present invention seeks to meet this objective.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a light weight face shield utilizing a headband and a transparent protective shield that extends below a user'sface, covering the user's mouth and nose. The shield is a transparent,thin, plastic panel that is concave in shape and attaches to the headband via a support member. The shield includes an aperture formedadjacent the bottom edge in proximity with a user's mouth. Into thisaperture is a voice amplification unit comprising a small microphone,amplifier, a power supply, and a speaker. The voice amplification unitis adapted to receive audio signals from the user's voice, amplify thosesignals, and emit sound through the speaker on the opposite side of theshield to allow nearby listeners to hear the user's voice. Theamplification unit is preferably made of a unitary, solid state devicethat can easily be installed and removed from the face shield to allowcleaning, maintenance, repairs, etc. In a first preferred embodiment,the power supply is a rechargeable battery to enable the face shield tobe used for many days and be charged overnight or when needed. Thepositioning of the microphone on the concave or inner surface and thespeaker on the convex or outer surface allows for the highest soundtransmission with the least interference. In a preferred embodiment, thesolid state voice amplification unit is retained in the aperture by alocking ring or cap that cooperates with an outer rim of theamplification unit to capture and secure the unit in the aperture. Theseand other features of the invention will best be understood withreference to the accompanying drawings and the detailed description ofthe preferred embodiments below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevated, perspective view of a first preferred embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 3 taken alongline 5-5; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the electrical system of the embodiment ofFIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a first preferred embodiment of the present inventioncomprising a face shield 10 that might be used, for example, in the foodservice industry, the retail industry, or other services where closeproximity and communication with the public are encountered. The designof the present invention is extremely light weight, making it ideal forextended use without causing fatigue or discomfort. In a preferredembodiment, the entire face shield weighs no more than seventy fivegrams, including the headband 12. The present invention is alsoadjustable, comfortable, and waterproof for easy cleaning. The faceshield 10 includes a head band 12 and a solid plastic covering 14extending below the head band. The head band 12 comprises two arcuatemembers 16, 18 that are connected at first and second pins 20 to allowfor a pivoting relationship where the plastic covering 14 pivots up anddown about the pins 20. The first arcuate member 16 is adapted to bearagainst the user's head and includes an adjustment string, strap, tab,or other known fitting mechanism to tighten the first arcuate member 16into a firm and secure position on the user's forehead. Located withinan aperture 24 (FIG. 2) in the plastic covering 14 is a voicetransmission unit 28 including a speaker 33, a microphone 32, anamplifier 34, and other components described more fully below.

As shown in the schematic of FIG. 6, the voice transmission device 28includes a microphone 32 that is connected to an amplifier 34, which inturn is connected to the speaker 33. A power supply such as a battery 36provides power to a microprocessor 38 with an on/off switch 39, and abus 37 to a charger port 35. The charger port 35 can receive a jack 42that is connected by a cable 44 to a charger 46 to recharge the battery36 when needed. The amplifier 34 can be equipped with a volume to adjustthe output on the speaker 33.

To make the face shield 10 lightweight, the entire unit is preferably nomore than seventy five grams. To achieve this result, the head band 12can weigh up to thirty grams, the plastic face covering 14 can weighfifteen grams, the microphone/amplifier/speaker unit (i.e., the voicetransmission unit) 28 can weigh thirty grams. In a preferred embodiment,the plastic face covering 14 has a width of eleven inches and a heightof seven and one half inches, and the aperture 24 in the face mask istwo and one half inches in diameter. The thickness of themicrophone/amplifier/speaker unit is three quarters of an inch and theinner diameter of the microphone/amplifier/speaker is approximately thesame size as the diameter of the aperture.

To secure the voice transmission unit 28 to the face shield aperture 24,a threaded locking disk 26 or ring can be used. The locking disk 26covers the speaker 33 and engages threads 50 on the voice transmissionunit 28 to capture the face covering 14 therebetween and secure thevoice transmission unit 28 in place. In a preferred embodiment, thespeaker 33 projects through the aperture so that it is on the outside ofthe face covering while the microphone 32 is disposed on the inside ofthe face covering. The locking disk 26 twists on and off so that thevoice transmission unit 28 can be easily removed when necessary. Thisallows the face shield to be cleaned and even submerged in cleaningsolution without damaging the electronics of the voice transmission unit28.

FIG. 5 illustrates how the locking disk 26 mounts on the annular surfaceof the voice transmission unit 28 such that the speaker 33 projectsthrough the face covering 14 to the outside surface, and the facecovering 14 is sandwiched between the locking disk 26 and the voicetransmission unit 28. The microphone 32 remains on the inside surface ofthe face covering opposite the speaker 33.

I claim:
 1. A lightweight protective face shield, comprising: a headband adapted to secure to a wearer's head; a transparent, concaveplastic face covering connected to the head band, the concave plasticface covering defining an inner surface and an outer surface, theconcave plastic face covering configured for pivoting motion relative tothe head band, the concave plastic face covering further comprising anaperture substantially centered about a midline of the concave plasticface covering; and a voice transmission unit incorporated into thetransparent, concave plastic face shield and mounted in the aperture,the voice transmission unit comprising a microphone, an amplifier, andspeaker, a power supply, and a processor; whereby the microphone isdisposed adjacent the inner surface of the transparent concave plasticface covering and the speaker extends through the aperture to the outersurface of the transparent concave plastic face covering.
 2. Thelightweight protective face shield of claim 1, wherein a weight of theprotective face shield is not greater than seventy five grams.
 3. Thelightweight protective face shield of claim 1, wherein the voicetransmission unit comprises a single solid state device.
 4. Thelightweight protective face shield of claim 3, wherein the voicetransmission unit is mounted to the concave plastic face covering by alocking disk that traps a peripheral edge of the aperture between thelocking disk and the voice transmission unit.
 5. The lightweightprotective face shield of claim 1, further comprising a volumeadjustment element for adjusting a volume of the speaker.
 6. Thelightweight protective face shield of claim 1, wherein the power supplyis rechargeable and the microprocessor is connected to a jack adapted toreceive a recharging power supply.